Woman charged in deadly 2-vehicle crash on I-95

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CAROLINE COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) -- Virginia State Police said a 51-year-old woman from Springs, Maryland, was charged in a deadly two-vehicle crash on I-95 northbound in Caroline County early Wednesday morning .

State police said the crash happened around 1:15 a.m. when a Nissan Sentra was sideswiped after the driver attempted to avoid being struck by a woman driving BMW X-5.

"The Nissan was traveling northbound in the center travel lane when it was struck by the BMW as its driver was traveling southbound in the northbound travel lanes," Virginia State Police Sgt. Thomas Molnar said in a news release.

Police said 48-year-old Lucia Chavez of Fredericksburg died at the accident scene.

Fifty-one-year-old Valerie F. Gorham, of the 3200 block Whispering Pine Drive in Silver Springs, Maryland, is facing five felony charges, including one felony count of involuntary manslaughter/DUID and four felony counts of maiming/DUID.

Molnar said Gorham will be taken to Pamunkey Regional Jail in Hanover County when she is released from the hospital.

The accident backed up traffic for hours. At one point, the center and right lanes of I-95 northbound were closed, but all lanes re-opened shortly after 6:30 a.m.